


Requiem

by brandedDragon



Series: Lillie’s FEH Ficlets [2]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Gen, Mother-Son Relationship, author is weak for family dynamics, death mention, not in detail or as a focus but it’s there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-28 20:04:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16248893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brandedDragon/pseuds/brandedDragon
Summary: Azura is summoned to Askr after performing in Cyrkensia and becomes curious of a particular young man wearing an awfully familiar pendent.





	Requiem

**Author's Note:**

> After a rather lengthy hiatus, of course I write something angsty.  
> This idea came from my noticing that both Performing Arts singers wear Azura’s pendent in their character art. After rereading their mother/son supports from Fates, I wanted to write something.
> 
> (I hope their characterizations turned out alright, but feel free to let me know if anything seems off. I unfortunately have no prior experience writing either of these two.)

“That pendent...”

Shigure didn’t have to look at the item in question to know what she meant.

The two sat by the lake hidden within the castle’s grounds. No one aside from them- and maybe Kiran- knew it was there, and they would often seek it out when they needed to get away. Today, however, was quite different. Azura- not his mother, but still Azura- had asked him to meet her here. She had wanted to ask him something, but would not say what. Now he knew.

“My mother gave it to me... but you knew that.”

The lady was silent for a few moments before speaking again.

“May I ask- how did you come to wear it?” She kept her scrutinizing gaze on the pendent.

“She didn’t want me to have it. She was going to get rid of it once the war was over.” A brief pause, and then, “She didn’t live to see it. I knew I had to dispose of the pendent for her, as she had asked of me.”

Sadness bled into his voice as he went on, and Azura could hear the pain in his heart as he spoke. He really loved his mother.

“I know I should have.” He continued, bringing a hand up to hold the pendent. “I should have cast it into the nearest, deepest lake and forgotten about it. It was all I had left of her. I... I couldn’t bring myself to do it.” A longer pause this time. “When I look at it, I think of her. I remember all the time we spent together, sang together.”

He sighed, closing his eyes, and was quiet. The only sounds were that of distant birdsong and a light breeze sweeping through the trees. It was Azura’s voice that broke the silence.

“You know the pendent’s power.”

Silence. It was a statement, not a question.

“Yet you keep it, even against your mother’s wishes.”

More affirming silence. Behind her veil, a sad smile curled her lips.

“I understand why you keep it.”

He raised his head, surprised by her somber tone. From the way she had been talking before, he was expecting to be lectured over something.

She continued, “Having something that belonged to someone you care about can help ease the pain of losing them.” Her gaze met her reflection’s as it settled on the pool.

“You’ve lost someone, too.” Shigure recognized the lost look in her eyes. This Azura may not be his mother, but she had the same eyes he had known- ones that betrayed emotion.

“Many, I’m afraid.” She replied, her reflection rippling beneath her. “That’s one thing I love about being here, though. Even if they aren’t the ones I knew, I can talk to those people again.” She wiped a hand across her face before turning to look at him. “I can even talk to you, the son I never had.”

It took a moment for that last part to sink in.

The son she never had. Of course.

What mother wouldn’t recognize her own son? One who had never had him to begin with.

“I didn’t realize... I’m sorry, Azura. The thought never crossed my mind.”

Azura removed her veil, leaving it in her place as she stood and approached the boy. Shigure stood to meet her and was surprised when she wrapped her arms around him.

“Shigure, I may not be your mother, but even time cannot break the bond between parent and child.” She stepped back to look at him, hands resting on his shoulders. “I understand now. When I first saw you, I felt like I knew you. When I saw your pendent, I could only wonder how you had come to have it. I feared the worse... but now I have those answers.”

She lowered a hand to cup his pendent in it, holding it so the blue stone caught the light filtering through the branches. He followed suit, lifting hers in a similar fashion.

Perfect mirrors. Exact copies.

She returned her gaze to his face, a smile on her face as his eye met hers. She only briefly saw his own smile before his arms were around her, returning her hug from earlier.

“Thank you.” His voice was quiet, as if any louder would shatter the moment.

She responded by embracing him once more.

“If you’ll allow me,” she began, tone soft and sweet, “I’d like to care for you while we’re both here. I couldn’t dream of replacing your own mother, but even still... I cannot ignore this feeling in my heart.”

“I’d like that.” He replied after a moment of silence. “Thank you... mother.”

If anyone noticed that two of the rooms in the Hero Halls were empty that night, they didn’t say anything.

Those on night watch similarly neglected to mention the snatches of melody they caught coming from the trees into the early hours.


End file.
